Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-13
THE RAILROADS SIDE.
A Statement from General wickha

J
General Wickham has made the follow.
ing statement:
The Norfolk VWginidn Of this morning
has an article covering au interview with
Mr.. j. J. Kelly, Of New York. So far a.
to what he says in regard 10 the affairs OF
the Newport News and Mississippi Valley
road, Mr.. Kelly is utterly misinformed and
mistaken. We pay our men according TO
the character OF the work, ten, twelve and
| a half, fifteen and twenty cents per hour.
When man does full weeks work, which
certainly for the past five months there
has been no difficulty in his obtaining, II
he vii, work the ful time, he can make,
a. our pay.Tolls will show, from eight 10
,lXteen dollars per week. These, certainly
in this region OF the country, are consid-
cred fair earnings. and are better than Il
made by the large noiOriiy OF the hborlng
| men in Virginia. The railroad company
has not houses at Newport News that it
rents at any price. II has houses al New
port News OF it, own sufficient to shelter
about one hundred laboring men. and for
these no rental charge whatever i made,
but the labOTeTs are permitted 10 occupy
these houses without any rental whatever.
| DO not know that the men have 10 pay
| iOI the uoi>t- muut DN lucW>tiFtH. 1 uc
cash Is delivered 10 each man as his name
Is called on the payroll, aud rot one dollar
is permitted 70 be passed by order 10 any
one. The man who does the work gets the
money. In regard 20 the cause OF the
strike, the men were working with perfect
| content, and with good attention 10 bilsi-
ness, until the strike took place against the
| Old Dominion Steamship Company, from
which this company kept aloOf but ii was
supposed that il would be more effective
against the Old Dominion with the
Chesapeake and Ohio brought Into
The matter than II they were per-
mitted to continue 10 work. Then our
men, with less than six hours notice, ab1n-
| dOned work. Every effort was made to
show them the folly Of their step aud 10 In
| duce them amieably 10 return 70 work. No
new men were brought 10 Newport News
until 9 A. NJ. Of this date, and more would
have been brought had the men returned
to work, as they were earnestly requested
to DO. The civil authorities saw the condi-
lion Of affairs. They deemed themselves
unable to cope with the strikers, who were
threatening riot, and they called upon the
Governor for military assistance. We
have brought fresh men in, but have
| 10. day renewed my offers heretofore given
TO the men TO resume work; that We had
enough for them and for the new men, and
that, With some few exceptions. they would
be permitted 10 return II once 20 their
work as IL 10 difference had ever taken
place between the company and themselves.
just what they propose 10 do cinuOt yet
say. hope that their better judgment viii
show them that they are in error, and that
tomorrow they will resume work.
WILLIAMS e. WICEHia.
KELLY's STATEMENT.
The interview with Mr.. Kelly referred 70
by General Wickham is ~ follows:
In conversation with John j.. Kelly, 0l
District Assembly No. a., OF New York, he
said that he had Just come from Newport
News, aud would like the public 10 under.
stand the position OF the freight-handisrs
who were out on the strike at that place.
lie says that these men are paid orly
ten cents On hour for their work, anu
that they are seldom employed long
enough TO earn over S5 week, and on,
OF this they have 10 pay the railroad
rompany $3.50 month Cor a miserabl'
aoyel that Is called house. and that ths
men have TO buy their groceries aud pro.
visions on time, and The company deduct
the amount Of the bills before thev pay the
men, and very often they olly receive from